Hoof-pad.



No. 719,162. 7 PATENTED JAN. 27, 1903.

A. G. TAPPE.

HOOP PAD.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 31,1902. 4

N0 MODEL.

tlnrrnn *rrres AUGUST C. TAPPE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

nooF-PAn.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,162, dated January 2'7, 1903.

Application filed May 31,1902. Serial No.109.599. (N0 model.)

To all, whom, it 777/1211 concern:

Be itknown thatl, AUGUST G.TAPPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoof-Pads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvemeutin hoof-pads for horses feet.

The object of my invention is to provide a pad which will have elastic qualities due to the elastic material, rubber being preferred, of which the bod y of the pad is made, in conj unction with a ill-shaped closed air-cushioning channel.

Another object of my invention is also to provide a cup centrally within the pad,formed and bounded on all sides except the open bottom by continuous elastic material, the pad being so constructed that water and foreign substances will not enter the air-cushioning space or permeate the backing to which the pad is stitched or otherwise secured.

The other features of my invention will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whicl1- Figure 1 isa plan view ofthe lower or su rface face of my pad with the metallic shoe omitted. Fig. 2 is a section on line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 1 1 Fig. 1. Fig. & is a plan view of the cushion with the base removed, showing the cushioning-chamber.

A represents a leather backing of the general shape of a horses foot, to which the pad is attached and which forms the pad-base.

B represents the elastic pad, the bottom plan view showing a flange-base having a horseshoe-shaped channel 0 inside of the marginal base and provided with a raised central portion, preferably slightly below the plane of the marginal flange, and this raised portion is covered by a layer of rubber and forms the closed top cover for the cup E.

The face and bottom of the pad is constructed in the following manner:

D represents a bar, preferably extended outwardly substantially across the marginal flange at the heel of the shoe.

Erepresents an open cup in the central portion of the cushion, which is preferably of oval form.

F represents the tread portion of the pad, which in the preferred form of construction has one or more annular grooves, so as to prevent slipping. The grooves necessarily form beads or raised portions which serve the same purpose. The marginal flanges of the pad are tightly stitched or otherwise securely fastened to the backing A, which is preferably of leather, but may be of other fibrous substance. This back or base covers and forms a bottom boundary and closes the U-shaped airchamber C to hold and form, as it were, an inclosed tube or cushioning-chamber within the body of the pad. This air-channel G is provided for several purposes-first, to lessen the weight and amount of material required to form the elastic portion of the pad; second, being a closed or a substantially closed airchamber it assists somewhat the cushioning tostop the undue compression on the raised portion of the pad.

It will be observed that the entire bottom space of the pad, including the marginal flanges, the raised portion, and the entire marginal boundary of the cup E, is formed of a continuous sheet or mold of rubber, which effectually prevents the entrance of moisture, sand, and other foreign substances into the hotly portion of the pad.

The metallic shoe when applied to the pad abuts the outer edge of the cushion,occupying the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

Another very important office or function to be obtained by my construction of pad is that airchamber G is formed to extend around the hoof just inside of the shoe, which attaches the marginal base of the pad to the hoof, thereby effectually relieving all parts of the hoof inside of the shoe from sole-pressure due to the contact of the face of the pad with the pavements or roadways.

I have found by experience that many horses cannot wear a pad which exerts any pressure within the inner edge of the horseshoe.

My improved air-chamber G effectually prevents all such pressure and strains from being imparted to anything but the metallic shoe, consequently to the outer rim or shell of the horses hoof. The bar D, extending across the heel of the shoe, likewise receives strains; but the inner portion being across the heel of the hoof does not press upon the same, but bridges the hollow or open heel, and the strains are transmitted by said bar to the hoof at the outer end of said bar, and hence to the outer shell of the hoof.

It will be observed that the inner and top portions or" the central cup E are closed and that the periphery of this cup forms the inner boundary of the air-chamber 0.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A hoof-pad, consisting of a flat flexible base, a rubber hoof-shaped pad adapted to be secured to the base having on its outside a horseshoe-shaped raised wall provided with a central depression, the inside face of the rubber pad being provided with an air-chamber sunk into the raised portion of the pad following the outline thereof, whereby when the pad is attached to the base an air-tight cushion is formed between the base and the pad around the hoof, substantially as described.

2. A hoof-pad consisting ofa flat base,a ru bber hoof-shaped pad adapted to be secured thereto, the said pad having on the outside a raised horseshoe-shaped wall provided at the middle with a depression extending inward to the middle floor of the rubber pad, the inner face of the rubber pad being channeled out around the outline of the raised horseshoe forming when the rubberpad is attached to the base a sealed airtight cushion around bar extending horseshoe, subary, the same being adapted to be attached to a fibrous base which is in turn adapted to be secured to the boot by a metallic shoe, substantially as specified.

4. A hoof-pad consisting of a flat base,a rubber hoof-shaped pad adapted to be secured thereto, having on the outside a raised horseshoe-shaped wall provided with a central depression, .the middle floor of the rubber pad forming the bottom of this depression, the said middle tloor being separated from the base when thepad is attached thereto, the inside face of the rubber pad being channeled out around the horseshoe formation forming in conjunction with the space between the base and middle floor of the pad a sealed aircushion across the hoof, substantiallyas decribed.

I testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

AUGUST 0. TAPPE.

\Vitnesses:

OLIVER B. KAISER, IDA J. LUCAS.

inside of the inner margin of the shoe-bound- 

